Continuing our season reviews, here is an assessment of Kent's frustrating season.
Final placings:
Championship Division One – 8th;
FP Trophy – Finalist (1st, South-East Division);
Twenty20 Cup – Finalist (3rd, South Division;
Pro40 Division Two - 4th
It was so nearly a great season for Kent. Two domestic Cup finals; and Championship favourites halfway through the penultimate round of games. As it was, they lost both finals and were somehow relegated from the Championship, ending their proud record of having never played in Division Two.
How did this happen? Kent coach Graham Ford was frank that "Possibly over the last few years we focused a lot more of our preparations on one-day cricket and even our summer signings have been one-day cricket orientated.” Along with Essex, Kent proved themselves to be the best white-ball side in the country in 2008. But so many players – Justin Kemp, Azhar Mahmood, Darren Stevens, James Tredwell and even the much-vaunted opening pair of Rob Key and Joe Denly – made a far greater impact in the shorter versions of the game. Indeed, Kent’s great strength in limited-overs – a plethora of players able to contribute with bat and ball – proved their weakness in the longer format.
Too reliant on van Jaarsveld
The lack of specialists was particularly noticeable with regards to their batting. With only Martin van Jaarsveld (see below) averaging over 31 from those who played more than six games, the batting line-up was desperately susceptible to collapse. Several options were tried, with players being shuffled around – including the mysteriously under-used, and now departed, Neil Dexter – and lower-order players tried at number three. James Tredwell understandably struggled there, but Geraint Jones had a little more success.
Jones’s brilliant, counter-attacking 91 from just 88 balls at Liverpool in the penultimate game briefly made them county Championship favourites. But the bowling, normally their strength, allowed Lancashire back into the game before yet another feeble collapse saw them subside to a defeat. In the final analysis, Kent were made to pay for two narrow losses on ‘sporting’ pitches – the other being the Riverside pitch that prompted Key to launch a scathing attack on the “muppet show”.
Skipper Key had a particularly chastening last few weeks, as the Twenty20 Cup, the England captaincy, the Friends Provident Trophy, Pro40 promotion and Division One Championship cricket all slipped from his grasp. His commitment cannot be doubted and, alongside Denly, he formed perhaps the best limited-overs partnership around. Mixing powerful orthodoxy with daring – but calculated innovation – their stand of 89 in the Twenty20 Cup final, apparently free of risk, showed both could have much to offer England’s limited-overs sides. But their Championship displays were pitiful in comparison. Conditions were frequently tough, yes, but averages of 31 apiece were a huge factor behind their relegation.
Pace-bowling excels
The bowling was rather better – although Tredwell’s season, on the back of an England ODI tour spot, was a major letdown. The star was Robbie Joseph who established himself with a superlative run in August, including 6/32 at the Riverside and a spell in the FP Final that could have been match-turning – even if he could not quite keep it up until the end. Amjad Khan appeared almost back to his best after his injury-ravaged last few campaigns, giving much hope for next seasons. Throughout, however, imports Yasir Arafat and Ryan McLaren were exceptional.
Arafat was fantastic in the Twenty20 Cup, claiming 23 scalps with his band of yorkers and variations, and was also brilliant in the run to the FP Final, claiming more wickets than anyone else (24) at a shade under 16. McLaren – currently the subject of conjecture concerning his international future – is a prime asset to the club. He bowls with impressive speed and movement, and, like Arafat, also contributed with some vital runs in all competitions. Azhar Mahmood, meanwhile, was revitalised, delivering brilliant death-bowling in limited-overs, trademark huge hitting (especially in Twenty20) and topping the Championship batting and bowling averages alike. Kent members will question the wisdom of limiting him to only six four-day games.
As they embark upon their first season in Division Two, Kent clearly need to do some rebuilding, with reliable top-order batting the most fundamental room for improvement. This, more than anything, was what let them down. Had they not collapsed so feebly in the FP Trophy and last two Championship games and had Justin Kemp connected with the last ball of the Twenty20 Final – that is, if the results of just four games had been changed – Kent would have been triple champions. Funny game, cricket.
Player of the season:
Robbie Joseph is a strong contender, but it is impossible to look beyond Martin van Jaasrsveld. He produced the ‘perfect game’ to transform the Championship game at The Oval, with twin unbeaten centuries and 5/33, while he was the lynchpin of the FP Trophy run, producing four hundreds and three fifties in nine games. Deserved to be the PCA Player of the Year – and deserves some proper support next campaign,
Most disappointing player:
Justin Kemp arrived with a big reputation – and lots to live up to after belatedly being allowed to play this season following his ICL participation. But he was an ignominious failure, lacking the application to thrive in testing Championship conditions and managing to average just 18 even in the Twenty20, though he almost took Kent to an improbable win.
Highlight:
Defeating Essex in the Twenty20 semi-final, seemingly through sheer self-belief. Dreams of a treble were very much alive.
Lowlight:
Subsiding feebly to an innings defeat at home in the final game, prompting the club chairman to bemoan a lack of support.
If you're interested in writing a season review for your county, please email it cricketingworld@hotmail.com
Showing posts with label Robert Key. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Key. Show all posts
Monday, 6 October 2008
Tuesday, 5 August 2008
Why so boring?
Kevin Pietersen's appointment as England captain in all three forms of the game stole the headlines, and rightly so - there was nothing else to talk about. For, while many believe there are profound problems within the set-up, the selectors were incredibly cautious in their squad for The Oval. There was only one change, with Ravi Bopara coming in, and even that was an enforced one.
There will be ample to discuss, as we witness Pietersen's first game as full-time captain. It promises to be nothing but intriguing. Given his lack of captaincy experience, there are so many intangibles that it is hard to make predictions over how he will do, although I am optimistic he will go some way towards reinvigorating the side, imbuing team-mates with vivacity and positivity and leading from the front, even if my first choice would have been Rob Key.
But what is truly astonishing is England's selectors still seem stubbornly in denial over England's problems. This was a golden opportunity to try out the plethora of players challenging for a spot, answer (at least partially) some fundamental selectorial questions and shake up a side that has been struggling for far too long.
My side for The Oval would have been as follows:
Cook
Key
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Harmison
Jones
(With Shah in the squad as reserve batsman. Ideally I would try him instead of Collingwood, but that would be one change too many.)
While I would, in any case, fancy this side to defeat the eleven who played in the last Test, even if they played and lost England would gain much from the match in terms of learning about fringe players.
One Test, especially a dead rubber, cannot tell you about a player's long-term durability at Test level, of course, but it is a start. With a radical shake-up to the side England would be beter able to answer a number of pressing questions, such as
Is Rob Key a beter bet as opener than Andrew Strauss? Given Key's impressive form over the last few seasons and Strauss's lack of a century against anyone other than a depleted New Zealand for two years, I suspect yes.
Can Ian Bell make the number three position his own? He has never made a century there, but he deserves to be given an extended run in what should be his natural position, starting from this Test.
Is Matt Prior a sufficiently good batsman to bat at six? And, more to the point, how much has his keeping improved in the last eight months? At least Prior's correct selection in the limited-overs squad will provide some clues to answering these questions.
Is Graeme Swann's all-round package of more value to England than Monty Panesar's? Averages of 41 with the bat and 25 with the ball in Division One, aided by his fine ODI performances, suggest this could now be the case.
Is Steve Harmison back to his best? Can he be a consistent threat at Test level? England must select him for the 4th Test, and see if Pietersen can help bring the best out of him.
Is Simon Jones good - and fit - enough to thrive in Tests once more? Most suspect the answer to the first question is an emphatic 'yes' but would answer in the negative to the second question. But, in a five-man attack, Jones could bowl, say, four four-over spells a day, being used as a strike-bowler, along with Flintoff. England utilising these two in such a capacity could help both to take 20 wickets and to keep them fit until at least the 2009 Ashes. Of more immediate significance, England will surely want to play five bowlers in India.
As it is, England will learn very little from this Test, save for a little about Pietersen's captaincy skills. It represents a depressing missed opportunity. In the big picture, it doesn't really matter how much England lose this series by. The answers to the above questions, however, are fundamental to how England can improve, but, typically and infuriatingly of the current set-up, too many will remain unasked.
There will be ample to discuss, as we witness Pietersen's first game as full-time captain. It promises to be nothing but intriguing. Given his lack of captaincy experience, there are so many intangibles that it is hard to make predictions over how he will do, although I am optimistic he will go some way towards reinvigorating the side, imbuing team-mates with vivacity and positivity and leading from the front, even if my first choice would have been Rob Key.
But what is truly astonishing is England's selectors still seem stubbornly in denial over England's problems. This was a golden opportunity to try out the plethora of players challenging for a spot, answer (at least partially) some fundamental selectorial questions and shake up a side that has been struggling for far too long.
My side for The Oval would have been as follows:
Cook
Key
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Prior
Flintoff
Broad
Swann
Harmison
Jones
(With Shah in the squad as reserve batsman. Ideally I would try him instead of Collingwood, but that would be one change too many.)
While I would, in any case, fancy this side to defeat the eleven who played in the last Test, even if they played and lost England would gain much from the match in terms of learning about fringe players.
One Test, especially a dead rubber, cannot tell you about a player's long-term durability at Test level, of course, but it is a start. With a radical shake-up to the side England would be beter able to answer a number of pressing questions, such as
Is Rob Key a beter bet as opener than Andrew Strauss? Given Key's impressive form over the last few seasons and Strauss's lack of a century against anyone other than a depleted New Zealand for two years, I suspect yes.
Can Ian Bell make the number three position his own? He has never made a century there, but he deserves to be given an extended run in what should be his natural position, starting from this Test.
Is Matt Prior a sufficiently good batsman to bat at six? And, more to the point, how much has his keeping improved in the last eight months? At least Prior's correct selection in the limited-overs squad will provide some clues to answering these questions.
Is Graeme Swann's all-round package of more value to England than Monty Panesar's? Averages of 41 with the bat and 25 with the ball in Division One, aided by his fine ODI performances, suggest this could now be the case.
Is Steve Harmison back to his best? Can he be a consistent threat at Test level? England must select him for the 4th Test, and see if Pietersen can help bring the best out of him.
Is Simon Jones good - and fit - enough to thrive in Tests once more? Most suspect the answer to the first question is an emphatic 'yes' but would answer in the negative to the second question. But, in a five-man attack, Jones could bowl, say, four four-over spells a day, being used as a strike-bowler, along with Flintoff. England utilising these two in such a capacity could help both to take 20 wickets and to keep them fit until at least the 2009 Ashes. Of more immediate significance, England will surely want to play five bowlers in India.
As it is, England will learn very little from this Test, save for a little about Pietersen's captaincy skills. It represents a depressing missed opportunity. In the big picture, it doesn't really matter how much England lose this series by. The answers to the above questions, however, are fundamental to how England can improve, but, typically and infuriatingly of the current set-up, too many will remain unasked.
Sunday, 3 August 2008
Rob Key: next England captain
Well, well. After fumbling along for so long with faults prevalent but the cosy set-up in denial about these, there is finally a shake-up within the England side. Michael Vaughan, who won more Tests than any other captain, has resigned; Paul Collingwood has seemingly been pushed from the one-day set-up.
There are two obvious candidates to replace them. Kevin Pietersen is well established as a star in both forms of the game for England. Captaincy could help rein in his impetuosity, which reared its ugly head when trying to launch Paul Harris for a six to bring up his century. During the last one-day international, when he was stand-in captain, his choice of bowlers seemed a little less formulaic than Collingwood's has been. He clearly has a fine cricketing brain and under-rated tactical acuman. Making your best player captain is, in many senses, the most logical step. However, he still has a worrying lack of captaincy experience - doubts exist over his ability to handle disparate characters within the side.
There may be calls for Andrew Strauss to be handed the job on the basis that he should have led England to Australia in 2006/07. But that is no sound reason. His current form is grim and he has scored hundreds only against New Zealand in the last two years. Add to this that he is not in the ODI side and it is clear England must look elsewhere, for all his captaincy credentials.
But where? The next England skipper should be Rob Key. He has led Kent with distinction for almost three seasons, winning the Twenty20 Cup last season. This year, they were one shot away from retaining the trophy; they will play Essex in the Friends Provident Trophy final; and they still have a very realistic chance of Champuionship glory. At 29, he has developed tremendous cricketing nous and commands respect. Key is a phlegmatic character, outwardly relaxed but alo fiercely determined. His status as an 'outsider' - he has not played for three and-a-half years - is surely a benefit, given the deep malaise England currently find themselves in. New ideas, which have clearly been very successful at Kent, could reinvigorate the side.
But what of Key the batsman? For a captain's authority is undermined if there are doubts over whether he merits his place in the side, as Vaughan is striking testament to. Key did reasonbly in his 15 Tests, but is a better player now, who knows how to get the best out of himself - and has also lost plenty of weight. Though not outstanding, he is having another good season, averaging 51 in first-class cricket (it was 56 last season), including 178* for Kent against New Zealand. Given the batting woes of the top three, he fully merits a recall even if his captaincy skills are ignored. Whilst it is true he was out-of-his-depth in his brief ODI career to date, his limited-overs game has developed wonderfully of late, as he has learned the art of pacing innings - and even developed a paddle over fine-leg. So he merits a place in all three forms of the game on current form. Add in his know-how and captaincy pedigree and Rob Key stands out as England's best choice.
There are two obvious candidates to replace them. Kevin Pietersen is well established as a star in both forms of the game for England. Captaincy could help rein in his impetuosity, which reared its ugly head when trying to launch Paul Harris for a six to bring up his century. During the last one-day international, when he was stand-in captain, his choice of bowlers seemed a little less formulaic than Collingwood's has been. He clearly has a fine cricketing brain and under-rated tactical acuman. Making your best player captain is, in many senses, the most logical step. However, he still has a worrying lack of captaincy experience - doubts exist over his ability to handle disparate characters within the side.
There may be calls for Andrew Strauss to be handed the job on the basis that he should have led England to Australia in 2006/07. But that is no sound reason. His current form is grim and he has scored hundreds only against New Zealand in the last two years. Add to this that he is not in the ODI side and it is clear England must look elsewhere, for all his captaincy credentials.
But where? The next England skipper should be Rob Key. He has led Kent with distinction for almost three seasons, winning the Twenty20 Cup last season. This year, they were one shot away from retaining the trophy; they will play Essex in the Friends Provident Trophy final; and they still have a very realistic chance of Champuionship glory. At 29, he has developed tremendous cricketing nous and commands respect. Key is a phlegmatic character, outwardly relaxed but alo fiercely determined. His status as an 'outsider' - he has not played for three and-a-half years - is surely a benefit, given the deep malaise England currently find themselves in. New ideas, which have clearly been very successful at Kent, could reinvigorate the side.
But what of Key the batsman? For a captain's authority is undermined if there are doubts over whether he merits his place in the side, as Vaughan is striking testament to. Key did reasonbly in his 15 Tests, but is a better player now, who knows how to get the best out of himself - and has also lost plenty of weight. Though not outstanding, he is having another good season, averaging 51 in first-class cricket (it was 56 last season), including 178* for Kent against New Zealand. Given the batting woes of the top three, he fully merits a recall even if his captaincy skills are ignored. Whilst it is true he was out-of-his-depth in his brief ODI career to date, his limited-overs game has developed wonderfully of late, as he has learned the art of pacing innings - and even developed a paddle over fine-leg. So he merits a place in all three forms of the game on current form. Add in his know-how and captaincy pedigree and Rob Key stands out as England's best choice.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Championship Review - Week 10
For the first time in ages, last week’s leaders are this week’s leaders as Notts cling on for a draw against Surrey. In Division 2, no-one takes advantage of Warwickshire’s week off. And Ramprakash’s wait goes on.
Division 1
My recommendation of backing a Nottinghamshire defeat nearly paid off as they struggled against Surrey. Having been put in by Notts, Surrey made 403, Usman Afzaal top scoring with 89 and Darren Pattinson taking 5-fer. Mark Ramprakash made 42 to remain on 99 centuries. This was plenty for a substantial first innings leas as Notts made just 218. Following on they were again struggling, leading by just 22 runs with 6 wickets down. However, 134 from Samit Patel in a unbroken stand of 165 with Graeme Swann saw Notts to the draw which keeps them top of the table by a point.
All eyes were on Andrew Flintoff at the Rosebowl as Hampshire batted first against Lancashire. Hants made 327, Chris Tremlett scoring a useful 60 at the end of the innings. Lancs replied with 295, Dimitri Mascarenhas taking 6 wickets. However, despite the promising situation, Hants collapsed to just 130 second time round leaving Lancs needing 163 to win, which they got for the loss of four wickets, Flintoff hitting 39 off 23 balls to finish the game. Lancs go 2nd, one point behind Notts.
A further point back in 3rd are Kent who edged a tight game with Yorkshire. Winning the toss, Antony McGrath and Jacques Rudolph both made tons in a stand of 217. However from a position of 341 for 2, Yorks only managed 410 with Azhar Mahmood taking 6 wickets. Rob Key hit a ton for Kent to hold the top of the innings together in the face of Adil rashid’s first 5 wicket haul of the season. However, it took an unbeaten 90 from Yasir Arafat to give Kent what would become a critical lead of 57 as batting conditions suddenly took a turn for the worse. Arafat then took 4 wickets as Yorks made just 196 to leave Kent chasing 140 to win. At 108 for 7, the game could still go either way, but Arafat and Geraint Jones saw Kent home and into 3rd two points off the top.
Both teams were playing catch-up at the Riverside as rain didn’t allow play to start until the third day. Somerset were best able to take the game on, declaring on 352 for 8, Zander de Bruyn hitting a ton. Durham were then bowled out for 261 and when Somerset declared their second innings at 193 for 5, Durham required 285 in around 50 overs to take an unlikely victory. Somerset reduced Durham to 8 for 2 to scent victory. However a half century from Dale Benkenstein led Durham to safety as the innings closed on 113 for 4.
So two points separate the top three places. Yorkshire were three wickets away from top place, but instead sit 5th, level on points with Durham and 2 points above Somerset. At the bottom, Hants are in danger of being cut adrift.
Division 2
With Warwickshire enjoying a week off, there was an opportunity for the rest of the Division to close the gap at the top. In the box seat were Middlesex, who opened up by declaring on 300 for 8 in a rain affected match with Gloucestershire, Eoin Morgan scoring an unbeaten 137. Dan Evans then took 5 wickets as Gloucester made 189 in reply. Middlesex then declared on 212 for 4 second time round, to leave Gloucester a target of 324. At 147 for 9 with 22 overs to go, Middlesex must have thought they had the win in the bag. However, Anthony Ireland and Ian Saxelby held out for an unlikely draw and a lost opportunity for Middlesex .
Also affected by the rain were Essex and Glamorgan, who made just 132 in their first innings, Danesh Kaneria taking 5 wickets. Essex went past the Glamorgan total without losing a wicket and despite Dean Cosker’s 5-fer, scored 376, Mark Pettini top scoring with 92. The Welshmen made a better fist of batting second time round and were 268 for 6 when the game drew to a halt.
There was another tight draw despite the weather at Derby where Derbyshire made 208 in their first innings, which was enough for a lead of 19 as Leicestershire made just 189. Derby then made an even 200 second time round leaving Leicester needing 220 to win in 58 overs. Derby reduced Leicester to 100 for 6. However, an unbeaten 72 from James Allenby took the Foxes to the brink of an unlikely win. Two quick wickets from Charl Langeveldt put the breaks on the run chase and Leicester finished on 202 for 8, 18 runs short of victory, with Derby two wickets shy.
Despite a plethora of wickets on the first day, rain for much of the rest of the match put paid to a positive result between Worcestershire and Northamptonshire. Worcester batted first, making just 146. Northants were then reduced to 153 for 7 until a stand of 120 between Lance Klusener and Johan van der Wath took Northants to 287. Vikram Solanki’s ton meant that Worcester never looked like surrendering the game which drew to a finish with Worcester on 245 for 6.
England Player Watch
Andrew Flintoff was the main attraction away from the test match and he took a combined 3 for 83 in 32 overs and hit a brisk 39 to finish the game for Lancs. Chris Tremlett looked in better form with the bat than the ball, scoring a first innings 60 but only managing one wicket. Matthew Hoggard started the Kent second innings collapse bowling with control, while Adil Rashid’s 5-fer is hopefully a welcome return to form.
There looks to be less opportunities on the batting front as Paul Collingwood is probably jettisoned for the returning Flintoff. However, of the players in contention, Rob Key continued his good form with a century. Likewise, Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah both made decent scores as their counties looked to force their matches.
Player of the Week
James Allenby’s valiant effort to win the match for Leicester is worthy of consideration, as is Samit Patel’s effort to save the game for Notts against Surrey. Rob Key kept Kent in the game against Yorkshire. However, it was one of Key’s team mates who made sure that they won a tight match and for 109 runs and 6 wickets, the player of the week is Yasir Arafat.
Division 1
My recommendation of backing a Nottinghamshire defeat nearly paid off as they struggled against Surrey. Having been put in by Notts, Surrey made 403, Usman Afzaal top scoring with 89 and Darren Pattinson taking 5-fer. Mark Ramprakash made 42 to remain on 99 centuries. This was plenty for a substantial first innings leas as Notts made just 218. Following on they were again struggling, leading by just 22 runs with 6 wickets down. However, 134 from Samit Patel in a unbroken stand of 165 with Graeme Swann saw Notts to the draw which keeps them top of the table by a point.
All eyes were on Andrew Flintoff at the Rosebowl as Hampshire batted first against Lancashire. Hants made 327, Chris Tremlett scoring a useful 60 at the end of the innings. Lancs replied with 295, Dimitri Mascarenhas taking 6 wickets. However, despite the promising situation, Hants collapsed to just 130 second time round leaving Lancs needing 163 to win, which they got for the loss of four wickets, Flintoff hitting 39 off 23 balls to finish the game. Lancs go 2nd, one point behind Notts.
A further point back in 3rd are Kent who edged a tight game with Yorkshire. Winning the toss, Antony McGrath and Jacques Rudolph both made tons in a stand of 217. However from a position of 341 for 2, Yorks only managed 410 with Azhar Mahmood taking 6 wickets. Rob Key hit a ton for Kent to hold the top of the innings together in the face of Adil rashid’s first 5 wicket haul of the season. However, it took an unbeaten 90 from Yasir Arafat to give Kent what would become a critical lead of 57 as batting conditions suddenly took a turn for the worse. Arafat then took 4 wickets as Yorks made just 196 to leave Kent chasing 140 to win. At 108 for 7, the game could still go either way, but Arafat and Geraint Jones saw Kent home and into 3rd two points off the top.
Both teams were playing catch-up at the Riverside as rain didn’t allow play to start until the third day. Somerset were best able to take the game on, declaring on 352 for 8, Zander de Bruyn hitting a ton. Durham were then bowled out for 261 and when Somerset declared their second innings at 193 for 5, Durham required 285 in around 50 overs to take an unlikely victory. Somerset reduced Durham to 8 for 2 to scent victory. However a half century from Dale Benkenstein led Durham to safety as the innings closed on 113 for 4.
So two points separate the top three places. Yorkshire were three wickets away from top place, but instead sit 5th, level on points with Durham and 2 points above Somerset. At the bottom, Hants are in danger of being cut adrift.
Division 2
With Warwickshire enjoying a week off, there was an opportunity for the rest of the Division to close the gap at the top. In the box seat were Middlesex, who opened up by declaring on 300 for 8 in a rain affected match with Gloucestershire, Eoin Morgan scoring an unbeaten 137. Dan Evans then took 5 wickets as Gloucester made 189 in reply. Middlesex then declared on 212 for 4 second time round, to leave Gloucester a target of 324. At 147 for 9 with 22 overs to go, Middlesex must have thought they had the win in the bag. However, Anthony Ireland and Ian Saxelby held out for an unlikely draw and a lost opportunity for Middlesex .
Also affected by the rain were Essex and Glamorgan, who made just 132 in their first innings, Danesh Kaneria taking 5 wickets. Essex went past the Glamorgan total without losing a wicket and despite Dean Cosker’s 5-fer, scored 376, Mark Pettini top scoring with 92. The Welshmen made a better fist of batting second time round and were 268 for 6 when the game drew to a halt.
There was another tight draw despite the weather at Derby where Derbyshire made 208 in their first innings, which was enough for a lead of 19 as Leicestershire made just 189. Derby then made an even 200 second time round leaving Leicester needing 220 to win in 58 overs. Derby reduced Leicester to 100 for 6. However, an unbeaten 72 from James Allenby took the Foxes to the brink of an unlikely win. Two quick wickets from Charl Langeveldt put the breaks on the run chase and Leicester finished on 202 for 8, 18 runs short of victory, with Derby two wickets shy.
Despite a plethora of wickets on the first day, rain for much of the rest of the match put paid to a positive result between Worcestershire and Northamptonshire. Worcester batted first, making just 146. Northants were then reduced to 153 for 7 until a stand of 120 between Lance Klusener and Johan van der Wath took Northants to 287. Vikram Solanki’s ton meant that Worcester never looked like surrendering the game which drew to a finish with Worcester on 245 for 6.
England Player Watch
Andrew Flintoff was the main attraction away from the test match and he took a combined 3 for 83 in 32 overs and hit a brisk 39 to finish the game for Lancs. Chris Tremlett looked in better form with the bat than the ball, scoring a first innings 60 but only managing one wicket. Matthew Hoggard started the Kent second innings collapse bowling with control, while Adil Rashid’s 5-fer is hopefully a welcome return to form.
There looks to be less opportunities on the batting front as Paul Collingwood is probably jettisoned for the returning Flintoff. However, of the players in contention, Rob Key continued his good form with a century. Likewise, Ravi Bopara and Owais Shah both made decent scores as their counties looked to force their matches.
Player of the Week
James Allenby’s valiant effort to win the match for Leicester is worthy of consideration, as is Samit Patel’s effort to save the game for Notts against Surrey. Rob Key kept Kent in the game against Yorkshire. However, it was one of Key’s team mates who made sure that they won a tight match and for 109 runs and 6 wickets, the player of the week is Yasir Arafat.
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
FP Trophy Weekly Round-up
It pure simple knockout from now on in the Friends Provident Trophy as the race to be this year’s winner hots up.
Essex opted to bat at Grace Road against Leicestershire and were in a spot of bother at 37-3. Ravi Bopara arrived at the crease and played the innings of his life in front of England selector Geoff Miller. He plundered his way to 201 not out, in the process hitting an incredible 18 fours and 10 sixes, as he joined a select group of players who have achieved the feat in fifty over cricket. The prominent support came from another England player who was keen to impress, James Foster, who hit a rapid 61. The Eagles finished up on 350-5, a formidable total indeed. Garnett Kruger (2-70) and Dillon du Preez (2-60) each took two wickets for a rather South African looking Foxes side. In fact there were only four England players on view for the home side, which according to Essex Captain Mark Pettini, made the victory all the sweeter, much to the disgust of the Leicestershire board. In reply, it was two of those Englishmen, Matthew Boyce (57) and the evergreen Paul Nixon (62), who impressed most, each hitting fifty, but it was Bopara (2-34) who again stole the show, taking two wickets, as the Foxes were all out for 232. Alex Tudor (2-38), Graham Napier (2-48) and Ryan ten Doeschate (2-32) were the other major wicket takers.
Play was delayed by a day at Beckenham where Kent eventually took to the field against Somerset, opting to bat first in a match I fancied the winners of to go all the way. They made 259-6, with Captain Rob Key (73) and Neil Dexter (101*) (only in the side because of the absence of Martin van Jaarsveld) scoring the major runs. Ben Philips (2-55) and a miserly Charl Willoughby (10 overs for 24) were the pick of the bowlers. Chasing, Craig Kieswetter hit a well paced 90, but he received precious little support as Yasir Arafat impressed once again with 3-23, Somerset all out for just 222. Kent appear to have the whole package when it comes to limited overs cricket and they remain my pick for the title. They bat deep, with plenty of explosive hitters towards the lower order, have plenty of experienced bowling options, have an excellent captain in Key and they field with energy.
At Bristol Yorkshire opted to field first against Gloucestershire and it proved to be a wise decision as the Gladiators were restricted to 201 all out, Matthew Hoggard (3-26) and Tim Bresnan (4-31) impressive up front in swinging conditions. Gloucestershire were indebted to Chris Taylor (54) and Steve Adshead (71), who managed to forge a total which they had a chance of defending. Yorkshire failed to struggle in reply however, as minus Steve Kirby, Gloucestershire seemed to lack penetration, despite the valiant efforts of Captain Jon Lewis (2-21) and Mark Hardinges (2-36). Craig White’s patient 55, coupled with Jacques Rudolph’s solid 53 not out, was enough to see them home as they made 205-4, Adam Lyth hitting a rapid unbeaten 38 at the end.
The final quarter final saw Nottinghamshire opt to bat first in a thriller at The Riverside against holders Durham. Samit Patel played a blinding innings of 114 from 113 balls, as nobody else on his team managed to make it beyond the teens. Resultantly, the Outlaws could only total 188 all out, with Steve Harmison (2-40), brother Ben Harmison (2-33), Callum Thorp (2-20) and Gareth Breese (2-50) all taking two wickets apiece. Although Phil Mustard (14) fell early once again in reply, Michael Di Venuto (70) and Will Smith (41) then shared 107, as Durham reached 127-1. A collapse followed though and they found themselves 177-9, with Gareth Breese and Mark Davies at the crease. Breese hit 34 from 37 balls to win the match for the Dynamos with an over to spare to ensure that Durham remain on course to defend their title. Patel completed an impressive allround performance with 3-27, while evergreen Mark Ealham (2-29) and Darren Pattinson (2-46) each took two wickets.
Player of the Week: It can only be on player despite the valiant efforts of Neil Dexter, Yasir Arafat, Samit Patel, Matthew Hoggard and Tim Bresnan. Ravi Bopara is this week's star player for his awesome unbeaten double century and two wickets against Leicestershire for Essex. Let us hope that he can take that form into England's upcoming One Day Series against New Zealand.
The Semi Final Draw:
Durham v Kent, The Riverside
Essex v Yorkshire, Chelmsford
Essex opted to bat at Grace Road against Leicestershire and were in a spot of bother at 37-3. Ravi Bopara arrived at the crease and played the innings of his life in front of England selector Geoff Miller. He plundered his way to 201 not out, in the process hitting an incredible 18 fours and 10 sixes, as he joined a select group of players who have achieved the feat in fifty over cricket. The prominent support came from another England player who was keen to impress, James Foster, who hit a rapid 61. The Eagles finished up on 350-5, a formidable total indeed. Garnett Kruger (2-70) and Dillon du Preez (2-60) each took two wickets for a rather South African looking Foxes side. In fact there were only four England players on view for the home side, which according to Essex Captain Mark Pettini, made the victory all the sweeter, much to the disgust of the Leicestershire board. In reply, it was two of those Englishmen, Matthew Boyce (57) and the evergreen Paul Nixon (62), who impressed most, each hitting fifty, but it was Bopara (2-34) who again stole the show, taking two wickets, as the Foxes were all out for 232. Alex Tudor (2-38), Graham Napier (2-48) and Ryan ten Doeschate (2-32) were the other major wicket takers.
Play was delayed by a day at Beckenham where Kent eventually took to the field against Somerset, opting to bat first in a match I fancied the winners of to go all the way. They made 259-6, with Captain Rob Key (73) and Neil Dexter (101*) (only in the side because of the absence of Martin van Jaarsveld) scoring the major runs. Ben Philips (2-55) and a miserly Charl Willoughby (10 overs for 24) were the pick of the bowlers. Chasing, Craig Kieswetter hit a well paced 90, but he received precious little support as Yasir Arafat impressed once again with 3-23, Somerset all out for just 222. Kent appear to have the whole package when it comes to limited overs cricket and they remain my pick for the title. They bat deep, with plenty of explosive hitters towards the lower order, have plenty of experienced bowling options, have an excellent captain in Key and they field with energy.
At Bristol Yorkshire opted to field first against Gloucestershire and it proved to be a wise decision as the Gladiators were restricted to 201 all out, Matthew Hoggard (3-26) and Tim Bresnan (4-31) impressive up front in swinging conditions. Gloucestershire were indebted to Chris Taylor (54) and Steve Adshead (71), who managed to forge a total which they had a chance of defending. Yorkshire failed to struggle in reply however, as minus Steve Kirby, Gloucestershire seemed to lack penetration, despite the valiant efforts of Captain Jon Lewis (2-21) and Mark Hardinges (2-36). Craig White’s patient 55, coupled with Jacques Rudolph’s solid 53 not out, was enough to see them home as they made 205-4, Adam Lyth hitting a rapid unbeaten 38 at the end.
The final quarter final saw Nottinghamshire opt to bat first in a thriller at The Riverside against holders Durham. Samit Patel played a blinding innings of 114 from 113 balls, as nobody else on his team managed to make it beyond the teens. Resultantly, the Outlaws could only total 188 all out, with Steve Harmison (2-40), brother Ben Harmison (2-33), Callum Thorp (2-20) and Gareth Breese (2-50) all taking two wickets apiece. Although Phil Mustard (14) fell early once again in reply, Michael Di Venuto (70) and Will Smith (41) then shared 107, as Durham reached 127-1. A collapse followed though and they found themselves 177-9, with Gareth Breese and Mark Davies at the crease. Breese hit 34 from 37 balls to win the match for the Dynamos with an over to spare to ensure that Durham remain on course to defend their title. Patel completed an impressive allround performance with 3-27, while evergreen Mark Ealham (2-29) and Darren Pattinson (2-46) each took two wickets.
Player of the Week: It can only be on player despite the valiant efforts of Neil Dexter, Yasir Arafat, Samit Patel, Matthew Hoggard and Tim Bresnan. Ravi Bopara is this week's star player for his awesome unbeaten double century and two wickets against Leicestershire for Essex. Let us hope that he can take that form into England's upcoming One Day Series against New Zealand.
The Semi Final Draw:
Durham v Kent, The Riverside
Essex v Yorkshire, Chelmsford
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
2008 Season Preview: Kent
Continuing our series of county previews, here is an assessment of Kent's chances in 2008.
2007 in a Nutshell:
Limited overs cricket was the obvious success for Kent last season. Winning the Twenty20 Cup was a huge achievement for the players with Rob Key playing a hugely important role as captain and premier batsman. The club performed well in the Friends Provident without being brilliant, and in a very competitive and tight Division 2 in the Pro 40, not gaining promotion was a disappointment, especially after winning the Twenty20. In the County Championship, relegation was just avoided and winning only 3 games showed that the side lacked firepower with the ball. As a whole, apart from winning some silverware, the season was a slight disappointment, with too many players underperforming.
2008 Prospects
With very few players arriving or leaving in preseason, Director of Cricket Graham Ford has shown faith with the majority of the current playing staff. Players such as Darren Stevens and Geraint Jones need to score more runs more consistently this year, but more importantly, a decent, penetrative bowling attack needs to be established. Quite simply, not enough wickets were taken last year - the top two wicket takers (McLaren and Tredwell) only took 80 between them, but that could change this year with the fit again Amjad Khan set to spearhead the attack. Allrounders are in abundance at the St. Lawrence ground in 2008, with the addition of Azhar Mahmood and Justin Kemp, providing the latter's ban (due to participation in the rebel ICL) is lifted, which would perhaps suggest that the squad is geared towards further success in one day cricket. Primarily, Kemp will provide destructive hitting with the bat, as he proved in his first spell with the club and Mahmood will provide needed control with the ball. Overseas pro Yasir Arafat was average last year with the ball and more will be needed from him.
So what can Kent fans hope for in 2008? In the County Championship, the season will perhaps be much of the same as last year, if the bowling attack does not improve. If Kent's bowlers can take wickets regularly this year, a top 4 or 5 finish is a realistic aim. In the limited overs competitions, promotion from Division 2 of the Pro 40 should be approached as a must, while defence of the Twenty20 title will prove to be very tough. A quarter-final appearance in the Friends Provident is also achievable.
Batting:
Scoring runs was not really a problem for Kent last year, with 43 bonus points gained with the bat, only bettered by Yorkshire in the division. All of the top four averaged over 40 in the CC in 2007 and 19 hundreds were scored between the top six, an impressive record. It wasn't only the top six that scored runs however, messrs Arafat, Tredwell and McLaren scored vital runs down the order. James Tredwell also showed how versatile and competent he is with the bat in filling in for Matt Walker at number four, in the process scoring an amazing hundred against Yorkshire, to save the game at Tunbridge Wells. Martin Van Jaarsveld will be as consistent and solid as ever at number three, but Darren Stevens needs to still fulfill his undoubted potential, even at the now latter stage of his career. ECB National Academy opener Joe Denly and England hopeful Rob Key were nothing short of superb at the top of the order last year, with the formers debut full season unfortunately tailing away in the second half of the campaign. Ex-England keeper Geraint Jones didn't perform as was expected last year and if Justin Kemp returns, he will probably find himself batting at number seven this yearThe massively talented 18 year old Sam Northeast will get more opportunities this year to score first class runs, and in Neil Dexter Kent have a highly capable and classy middle order batsman waiting in the wings.
2007 in a Nutshell:
Limited overs cricket was the obvious success for Kent last season. Winning the Twenty20 Cup was a huge achievement for the players with Rob Key playing a hugely important role as captain and premier batsman. The club performed well in the Friends Provident without being brilliant, and in a very competitive and tight Division 2 in the Pro 40, not gaining promotion was a disappointment, especially after winning the Twenty20. In the County Championship, relegation was just avoided and winning only 3 games showed that the side lacked firepower with the ball. As a whole, apart from winning some silverware, the season was a slight disappointment, with too many players underperforming.
2008 Prospects
So what can Kent fans hope for in 2008? In the County Championship, the season will perhaps be much of the same as last year, if the bowling attack does not improve. If Kent's bowlers can take wickets regularly this year, a top 4 or 5 finish is a realistic aim. In the limited overs competitions, promotion from Division 2 of the Pro 40 should be approached as a must, while defence of the Twenty20 title will prove to be very tough. A quarter-final appearance in the Friends Provident is also achievable.
Batting:
Scoring runs was not really a problem for Kent last year, with 43 bonus points gained with the bat, only bettered by Yorkshire in the division. All of the top four averaged over 40 in the CC in 2007 and 19 hundreds were scored between the top six, an impressive record. It wasn't only the top six that scored runs however, messrs Arafat, Tredwell and McLaren scored vital runs down the order. James Tredwell also showed how versatile and competent he is with the bat in filling in for Matt Walker at number four, in the process scoring an amazing hundred against Yorkshire, to save the game at Tunbridge Wells. Martin Van Jaarsveld will be as consistent and solid as ever at number three, but Darren Stevens needs to still fulfill his undoubted potential, even at the now latter stage of his career. ECB National Academy opener Joe Denly and England hopeful Rob Key were nothing short of superb at the top of the order last year, with the formers debut full season unfortunately tailing away in the second half of the campaign. Ex-England keeper Geraint Jones didn't perform as was expected last year and if Justin Kemp returns, he will probably find himself batting at number seven this yearThe massively talented 18 year old Sam Northeast will get more opportunities this year to score first class runs, and in Neil Dexter Kent have a highly capable and classy middle order batsman waiting in the wings.
Bowling:
The area that must improve if Kent are to even think about having a better season in the four day game. Kent fans can look forward to witnessing the talented Amjad Khan back in the side and if he can recapture the form that got him England 'A' recognition, the Kent bowling attack will be led impressively. As mentioned before, Yasir Arafat will have to show his worth with the ball as the overseas player and on the basis that Kemp will sign, he will be a very handy change bowler. Ryan McLaren was very impressive last year and he will hope to carry on in that vein. Martin Saggers will use all his knowledge and experience with the new ball when he plays whilst James Tredwell will bowl a lot of overs with his off-spinners. One definite worry however is the lack of spin bowling options in reserve if Tredwell were to get injured. With the legendary Min Patel retiring there is no obvious replacement and whilst Denly's leggy's are improving, they are nowhere near good enough to be used as a genuine, consistent threat.
Robert Joseph and Simon Cook will be used as backups throughout the season, but Cook will play a lot more limited overs games as he is a very canny and useful operator, especially with the keeper up to the stumps. Add to that Azhar Mahmood, who will probably be in and out of the CC side, but a regular fixture in one day competitions and on paper the Kent bowling unit certainly looks effective, without being imperious, but can they perform this season?
Probable sides:
Championship
Denly
Key *
Van Jaarsveld
Walker
Stevens
Kemp (assuming his ban is overturned)
Jones +
Arafat
Tredwell
McLaren
Khan
Saggers and Mahmood will replace anyone in this side with a re-jig of the batting order if needed. Assuming the batsmen will fire once again, the bowlers have to make sure they perform as well to give the team as good a chance as possible to win games - after all, 20 wickets need to be taken to win a CC game.
One-day and Twenty20
Denly
Key *
Van Jaarsveld
Walker
Stevens
Kemp (assuming his ban is overturned)
Jones +
Arafat
McLaren
Tredwell
Khan
Kent often try and make use of the early fielding restrictions so expect to see one of a number of pinch hitters being used at 3 or 4, depending on who's playing of course. Cook, Mahmood and Dexter will play a lot of one day games as this side will constantly be shuffled around. Don't hold your breath with regards to seeing the rather large frame of Matt Walker playing a lot of one day games as it is his benefit year. Also, someone like Dexter is better suited to modern one day cricket as he bats, bowls and fields. Matty Walker probably has just the one discipline to offer.
Key Man:
It's really hard to look beyond the immensely gifted Robert Key. With a Test double hundred to his name, an average of nearly 57 for 2007, and the fact he's the skipper, it's plain to see how vitally important he is to the side. He will have hopes of regaining a place in the England Test Team and will want to put pressure on the likes of Strauss and Bell by scoring a sack full of runs. Amjad Khan will be very important with the new ball as the spearhead of the attack, with his venomous away swingers and as the season progresses and the pitches dry, Tredwell will become more of a threat.
Rising Star:
With no one in the side being an unknown quantity this year, picking a rising star is difficult. Joe Denly is fairly comfortably the youngest member of the side but with his outstanding year last year, and touring with the England Academy, he could hardly be described as 'rising'. Whilst he may not play a huge amount of games, Sam Northeast has bags of potential to be a star. He made his first class debut in the last game of last season at just 17, but only managed a 5 and 0. At 13 years old, he scored 19 hundreds in a season for his school, averaging 291 and in 2006 he played against the then touring Sri Lankans for a Sir JP Getty XI. Graham Ford witnessed his innings of 62 not out with great pleasure and commented, "There were two moments that stood out: firstly when he came down the wicket to on-drive Muralitharan for four, then when he rocked on to the back foot to force a decent length ball from Nuwan Zoysa through extra cover. They were flashes of class." It's clear to see that this mercurial talent has a wonderful future ahead of him, let's hope we can witness it this year!
Captain and Coach:
Graham Ford showed how much potential he thinks the club has when he turned down the chance to be coach of India. Whilst the pressures of the India job would be incredible, the lure of it must have been very hard to resist and Ford should be commended on his loyalty and obvious desire to help Kent CCC progress. He seems to have a good relationship with Key, which is clearly very important and based on the success in the T20, something must be going right. County Championship performances need to improve this season and the club could have perhaps been a little more committed in adding players to the squad, as it does seem a little bare. Kent fans should have faith in the Ford-Key team however and it will be interesting to see how the season pans out for the south-east county.
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
Championship Week 16
Bit late and quite short this week as I’m moving house. Finally a win for Worcestershire, while the weather continues to frustrate those chasing Sussex at the top.
Division 1
Durham had the chance to go top, if only for 24 hours as they took on Surrey a day earlier than the other two Div 1 matches. They started nervously and were indebted to 81 from Shivnarine Chanderpaul to get to 232. However, this was enough for a first innings lead, with Surrey being bowled out for 183. Durham did better second time round and declared on 397 for 7. Surrey never looked like going for it and a ton for Jon Batty meant that they secured a comfortable draw and Durham stay 3rd.
They do close the gap on Yorkshire, who having lost ground on Sussex in recent weeks needed to be aggressive against bottom team Worcestershire. They started reasonably, scoring 319 with Adil Rashid getting his maiden ton. Worcester avoided the follow on but then declared on 172 for 5 in the hope of forcing a result. Despite being reduced to 10 for 4 by Kabir Ali, Jacques Rudolph and Rashid again were able to set Worcester 337 to win, which they got for the loss of just four wickets, Ben Smith finishing unbeaten on 98 at nearly a run a ball.
Kent travelled to Warwickshire needing to do better than Surrey to pull out of the relegation places. They bowled the Bears out for 213 before reaching 400 for 4 declared (153 for Rob Key). Unfortunately the weather meant that no more was possible, but the bonus points took Kent back above Surrey.
Division 2
Just the two games in Division 2 with no more than a scramble for bonus points possible in either. Somerset bowled out Glamorgan for 198 before reaching 400 for 6 for maximum bonus points. Justin Langer scored a ton. Meanwhile Middlesex also declared on 400 (for 9 in this case) with Owais Shah and Ed Joyce both hitting tons. In reply Northamptonshire reached 335 for 9 when the game ran out of time.
Player of the Week
A good week for two players on the fringes of England selection with Rob Key and Owais Shah both scoring 150+. However, both were in effectively dead matches. For the innings that took Worcester to their first win of the season, this week’s Player of the Week is Ben Smith
Division 1
Durham had the chance to go top, if only for 24 hours as they took on Surrey a day earlier than the other two Div 1 matches. They started nervously and were indebted to 81 from Shivnarine Chanderpaul to get to 232. However, this was enough for a first innings lead, with Surrey being bowled out for 183. Durham did better second time round and declared on 397 for 7. Surrey never looked like going for it and a ton for Jon Batty meant that they secured a comfortable draw and Durham stay 3rd.
They do close the gap on Yorkshire, who having lost ground on Sussex in recent weeks needed to be aggressive against bottom team Worcestershire. They started reasonably, scoring 319 with Adil Rashid getting his maiden ton. Worcester avoided the follow on but then declared on 172 for 5 in the hope of forcing a result. Despite being reduced to 10 for 4 by Kabir Ali, Jacques Rudolph and Rashid again were able to set Worcester 337 to win, which they got for the loss of just four wickets, Ben Smith finishing unbeaten on 98 at nearly a run a ball.
Kent travelled to Warwickshire needing to do better than Surrey to pull out of the relegation places. They bowled the Bears out for 213 before reaching 400 for 4 declared (153 for Rob Key). Unfortunately the weather meant that no more was possible, but the bonus points took Kent back above Surrey.
Division 2
Just the two games in Division 2 with no more than a scramble for bonus points possible in either. Somerset bowled out Glamorgan for 198 before reaching 400 for 6 for maximum bonus points. Justin Langer scored a ton. Meanwhile Middlesex also declared on 400 (for 9 in this case) with Owais Shah and Ed Joyce both hitting tons. In reply Northamptonshire reached 335 for 9 when the game ran out of time.
Player of the Week
A good week for two players on the fringes of England selection with Rob Key and Owais Shah both scoring 150+. However, both were in effectively dead matches. For the innings that took Worcester to their first win of the season, this week’s Player of the Week is Ben Smith
Sunday, 19 August 2007
Key making a strong England case
Rob Key’s name has slightly been forgotten this season, while astute judges have been busy purring about his hugely promising opening partner Joe Denly. But the Kent skipper has been most impressive, playing a pivotal role in his side’s Twenty20 Cup victory and averaging 50 in Division One of the County Championship.
Key’s talent and tenacity has been evident over his 15 Tests for his country but, too often, he has fallen to reckless misjudgments outside off-stump or, worse, to innocuous part-timers. Though he made a superb 221 against the West Indies in 2004, he could have few complaints about being discarded after the tour of South Africa in 2004/05; he made an 83 but played too many injudicious shots, and had technical deficiencies outside off-stump exposed by Shaun Pollock.
Key played a huge role in Kent’s Twenty20 Cup triumph; he now appears more phlegmatic, and increasingly adapt at pacing run chases. This was clearly in evidence during his four 50s (from just six innings) in this season’s competition; he was hugely adept at scoring off almost every ball, something he conspicuously failed to do during his brief sojourn in England’s one-day side. Yet these new-found qualities suggest that, despite his somewhat unathletic frame, he could be of great use in England’s limited-overs sides; he has greater knowledge of the art of constructing a one-day innings than, say, Alistair Cook.
A first-class average is 41 is testament to the fact that, though a reliable run-scorer in county cricket, Key has seldom enjoyed truly outstanding seasons. Upon being appointed captain last campaign, he disappointed hugely with the bat, averaging a meagre 32 for Kent. Yet his form has been excellent in all competitions this season; Key has gained in consistency and relish for responsibility, rising to the challenge when his side have needed him most. He has also proved a sufficiently shrewd skipper to emerge as a possible future replacement for Michael Vaughan.
In truth, Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara both probably have stronger cases for Test selection, given that they have impressed recently for England. But Key has the advantage of being an opener, making him a potential replacement for the patently out-of-sorts Andrew Strauss.
At 28, Key has clearly matured into a more battle-hardened player less prone to lapses in concentration. He has undoubtedly learnt from his previous experience in international cricket, and is a man with the character and class to aid England’s re-building process.
Key’s talent and tenacity has been evident over his 15 Tests for his country but, too often, he has fallen to reckless misjudgments outside off-stump or, worse, to innocuous part-timers. Though he made a superb 221 against the West Indies in 2004, he could have few complaints about being discarded after the tour of South Africa in 2004/05; he made an 83 but played too many injudicious shots, and had technical deficiencies outside off-stump exposed by Shaun Pollock.
Key played a huge role in Kent’s Twenty20 Cup triumph; he now appears more phlegmatic, and increasingly adapt at pacing run chases. This was clearly in evidence during his four 50s (from just six innings) in this season’s competition; he was hugely adept at scoring off almost every ball, something he conspicuously failed to do during his brief sojourn in England’s one-day side. Yet these new-found qualities suggest that, despite his somewhat unathletic frame, he could be of great use in England’s limited-overs sides; he has greater knowledge of the art of constructing a one-day innings than, say, Alistair Cook.
A first-class average is 41 is testament to the fact that, though a reliable run-scorer in county cricket, Key has seldom enjoyed truly outstanding seasons. Upon being appointed captain last campaign, he disappointed hugely with the bat, averaging a meagre 32 for Kent. Yet his form has been excellent in all competitions this season; Key has gained in consistency and relish for responsibility, rising to the challenge when his side have needed him most. He has also proved a sufficiently shrewd skipper to emerge as a possible future replacement for Michael Vaughan.
In truth, Owais Shah and Ravi Bopara both probably have stronger cases for Test selection, given that they have impressed recently for England. But Key has the advantage of being an opener, making him a potential replacement for the patently out-of-sorts Andrew Strauss.
At 28, Key has clearly matured into a more battle-hardened player less prone to lapses in concentration. He has undoubtedly learnt from his previous experience in international cricket, and is a man with the character and class to aid England’s re-building process.
Monday, 6 August 2007
A job well done
England’s selectors are so often lambasted that it is only fair to give them credit after picking a Twenty20 World Cup squad bursting to the rim with specialists. Darren Maddy, Jeremy Snape and James Kirtley are each highly unlikely to play any more one-day internationals for England, but they are shrewd Twenty20 players, and will offer England much more than James Anderson, Ian Bell, Alastair Cook and Monty Panesar would in this form of the game. Chris Schofield and Luke Wright, meanwhile, will hope selection proves the springboard for other national honours.
The winning skipper on Twenty20 finals day, Rob Key, made an astute point when asking whether good Twenty20 Cup players had the necessary class to excel against the world’s best. However, the trio of Maddy, Snape and Kirtley have proved they are excellent players in this form of the game who, one would think, have the skills to do well internationally. The great gambles are Wright and the rejuvenated Schofield, two players selected solely on their performances in this season’s competition. Schofield, with 17 wickets at 8.82 (and an economy rate of just 6) is a worthy selection, especially given his ability to improvise with the bat in the final overs; Wright is perhaps a little luckier considering that, during his innings of 103 and 98 in this season’s competition, the highest calibre bowler he faced was Yasser Arafat.
Of those who did not make it, the unluckiest is surely Mal Loye, who has an outstanding Twenty20 record and played some exhilarating cameos in the CB Series; he would have been a fine replacement for Trescothick. Key and Mark Ramprakash have mixed big shots with nous, to great effect, in this form of the game and had merit over Wright and possibly Vkram Solanki, though he is a marvellous fielder, attractive batsman and worthy selection.
With the ball, England look to have got it just right. Their two spinners are better suited to this format than Monty Panesar, and are also very useful batsmen; the all-too-hittable James Anderson has surprisingly been omitted; and it is very hard to argue with the four seamers, with the inclusion of Chris Tremlett’s bounce and consistency a clear indicator he is part of Peter Moores’ long-term plans. Kirtley has bowled expertly at the death for Sussex this campaign, although forgotten man Jon Lewis, so impressive on finals day and with an exemplary ODI record, is hugely unfortunate to have been overlooked for both the Twenty20 and one-day squads.
Put simply, this is a very good squad which gives England the best possible chance of taking advantage of having played more domestic Twenty20 than anyone else, although the management’s lack of coherent thinking is impossible to ignore: the games against the West Indies would have been most useful for gauging the specialists' international suitability. The only real gripe, in fact, is that there is the faintest whiff of home bias on Moores’ part. Wright and Kirtley were borderline selections; but Matt Prior is undeserving of the wicket-keeping job ahead of Paul Nixon and Tim Ambrose.
My line-up (from the 15):
Maddy, Prior, Pietersen, Shah, Collingwood, Flintoff, Bopara, Schofield, Broad, Sidebottom and Tremlett with Solanki, Wright, Snape and Kirtley in reserve
The winning skipper on Twenty20 finals day, Rob Key, made an astute point when asking whether good Twenty20 Cup players had the necessary class to excel against the world’s best. However, the trio of Maddy, Snape and Kirtley have proved they are excellent players in this form of the game who, one would think, have the skills to do well internationally. The great gambles are Wright and the rejuvenated Schofield, two players selected solely on their performances in this season’s competition. Schofield, with 17 wickets at 8.82 (and an economy rate of just 6) is a worthy selection, especially given his ability to improvise with the bat in the final overs; Wright is perhaps a little luckier considering that, during his innings of 103 and 98 in this season’s competition, the highest calibre bowler he faced was Yasser Arafat.
Of those who did not make it, the unluckiest is surely Mal Loye, who has an outstanding Twenty20 record and played some exhilarating cameos in the CB Series; he would have been a fine replacement for Trescothick. Key and Mark Ramprakash have mixed big shots with nous, to great effect, in this form of the game and had merit over Wright and possibly Vkram Solanki, though he is a marvellous fielder, attractive batsman and worthy selection.
With the ball, England look to have got it just right. Their two spinners are better suited to this format than Monty Panesar, and are also very useful batsmen; the all-too-hittable James Anderson has surprisingly been omitted; and it is very hard to argue with the four seamers, with the inclusion of Chris Tremlett’s bounce and consistency a clear indicator he is part of Peter Moores’ long-term plans. Kirtley has bowled expertly at the death for Sussex this campaign, although forgotten man Jon Lewis, so impressive on finals day and with an exemplary ODI record, is hugely unfortunate to have been overlooked for both the Twenty20 and one-day squads.
Put simply, this is a very good squad which gives England the best possible chance of taking advantage of having played more domestic Twenty20 than anyone else, although the management’s lack of coherent thinking is impossible to ignore: the games against the West Indies would have been most useful for gauging the specialists' international suitability. The only real gripe, in fact, is that there is the faintest whiff of home bias on Moores’ part. Wright and Kirtley were borderline selections; but Matt Prior is undeserving of the wicket-keeping job ahead of Paul Nixon and Tim Ambrose.
My line-up (from the 15):
Maddy, Prior, Pietersen, Shah, Collingwood, Flintoff, Bopara, Schofield, Broad, Sidebottom and Tremlett with Solanki, Wright, Snape and Kirtley in reserve
Tuesday, 14 November 2006
Who will replace Stresscothick?
My worst fears regarding Marcus Trescothick have been realised. His play all summer-long had been unconvincing; and, it touched the confines of lunacy to suggest he would be fully recovered for an Ashes tour despite not being able to participate in the ICC Champions Trophy a month earlier. So it now seems increasingly likely that Trescothick’s final international appearance will be a first-ball dismissal against Pakistan in a one-dayer. He has had a fine career that included 26 international hundreds – although just a solitary one, in a ODI at Headingly last summer, against the best team in the world.
But, although his excellence is beyond doubt, he seldom thrived against Australia, who frequently exposed his notorious lack of footwork. Though the loss of his experience is a blow, it allows Alistair Cook to move up to his natural position as opener; Paul Collingwood is a gutsy cricketer who should do ok at number five. Trescothick’s withdrawal then, does not weaken England greatly.
Clearly, a replacement is imperative, and will be announced within the next day or so. Robert Key appears to be a front-runner. He is a man who, it seems to be universally acknowledged, showed character and earned the respect of the Aussies in 2002/03 – all this while averaging just 18. Key is a good batsman, but ultimately too prone to careless dismissals; and he only averaged in the mid-30s for Kent last season. If he is selected, it will add to the feelings of some that Andrew Flintoff is rather keen to include his mates in the side.
Owais Shah averaged little better than Key last season. But his class as a batsman is beyond doubt; the ease with which he took to Test cricket in India last winter – scoring 88 and 38 and having the nerve to charge Harbhajan Singh on numerous occasions - certainly merits another opportunity. His county teammate Ed Joyce also has a case for selection, though he has not yet shown he can thrive at international level.
Trescothick’s absence means Andrew Strauss is now the side’s most experienced batsman. The chances of a Vaughan welcome sometime this series have increased, but he will palpably not be ready to play until the 4th Test.
The amiable Mark Butcher has a very good chance of selection; he has scored three Test hundreds against Australia, two of them down under. His form for Surrey was most encouraging last season, while he was only dropped from the England set-up due to injury. Indeed, in his second incarnation as a Test cricketer, from 2001, Butcher’s grit and sweet offside play resulted in an average of 41.
But, if you are going to pick someone on their performances in the last domestic season, it is hard to look beyond Mark Ramprakash; persuading him to leave Strictly Come Dancing for an Ashes tour should not prove too problematic. People will point to his Test record and age as evidence of why he shouldn’t go. But, at this stage of his career, he really would have nothing to lose; equally, this most classical of batsmen remains an impressive fielder (certainly superior to Messrs Shah and Key.)
Ramprakash’s technique has already earned him success against Australia, at home and away – he averages 42 in 12 Tests against them. Having averaged in excess of 100 for Surrey last season, thanks to a series of gargantuan hundreds and his unrelenting professionalism, Ramprakash is in the form of his life, while his character, once a problem, has mellowed considerably. He could slot in seamlessly to number three, filling the void of a classy, attractive and experienced batsman who has excelled in Australia before. Whether Duncan Fletcher is prepared to sanction such a controversial selection, however, remains to be seen.
Tagged with: Marcus Trescothick, Mark Ramprakash, Mark Butcher
But, although his excellence is beyond doubt, he seldom thrived against Australia, who frequently exposed his notorious lack of footwork. Though the loss of his experience is a blow, it allows Alistair Cook to move up to his natural position as opener; Paul Collingwood is a gutsy cricketer who should do ok at number five. Trescothick’s withdrawal then, does not weaken England greatly.
Clearly, a replacement is imperative, and will be announced within the next day or so. Robert Key appears to be a front-runner. He is a man who, it seems to be universally acknowledged, showed character and earned the respect of the Aussies in 2002/03 – all this while averaging just 18. Key is a good batsman, but ultimately too prone to careless dismissals; and he only averaged in the mid-30s for Kent last season. If he is selected, it will add to the feelings of some that Andrew Flintoff is rather keen to include his mates in the side.
Owais Shah averaged little better than Key last season. But his class as a batsman is beyond doubt; the ease with which he took to Test cricket in India last winter – scoring 88 and 38 and having the nerve to charge Harbhajan Singh on numerous occasions - certainly merits another opportunity. His county teammate Ed Joyce also has a case for selection, though he has not yet shown he can thrive at international level.
Trescothick’s absence means Andrew Strauss is now the side’s most experienced batsman. The chances of a Vaughan welcome sometime this series have increased, but he will palpably not be ready to play until the 4th Test.
The amiable Mark Butcher has a very good chance of selection; he has scored three Test hundreds against Australia, two of them down under. His form for Surrey was most encouraging last season, while he was only dropped from the England set-up due to injury. Indeed, in his second incarnation as a Test cricketer, from 2001, Butcher’s grit and sweet offside play resulted in an average of 41.
But, if you are going to pick someone on their performances in the last domestic season, it is hard to look beyond Mark Ramprakash; persuading him to leave Strictly Come Dancing for an Ashes tour should not prove too problematic. People will point to his Test record and age as evidence of why he shouldn’t go. But, at this stage of his career, he really would have nothing to lose; equally, this most classical of batsmen remains an impressive fielder (certainly superior to Messrs Shah and Key.)
Ramprakash’s technique has already earned him success against Australia, at home and away – he averages 42 in 12 Tests against them. Having averaged in excess of 100 for Surrey last season, thanks to a series of gargantuan hundreds and his unrelenting professionalism, Ramprakash is in the form of his life, while his character, once a problem, has mellowed considerably. He could slot in seamlessly to number three, filling the void of a classy, attractive and experienced batsman who has excelled in Australia before. Whether Duncan Fletcher is prepared to sanction such a controversial selection, however, remains to be seen.
Tagged with: Marcus Trescothick, Mark Ramprakash, Mark Butcher
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